Ex-Congress CM s son files nomination for Goa by-poll

Panaji Aug 4 (IANS) Roy Naik the son of former Goa Congress Chief Minister Ravi Naik on Friday filed his nomination for the by-election for the Valpoi assembly constituency.

Roy Naik who has been indicted in a legislative committee report for his alleged links to the drug trade filed his nomination in the presence of top party leaders including the party s Goa in-charge A. Chellakumar and state Congress chief Shantaram Naik.

"I am confident of winning the election " Roy Naik said.

In 2013 Roy Naik was indicted when his father was the Home Minister in the Digambar Kamat-led coalition government.

Naik will face Vishwajit Rane the Health Minister in the BJP-led coalition cabinet.

Rane was elected on a Congress ticket in the February assembly polls but later resigned and joined the Bharatiya Janata Party government as Minister.

The Goa Suraksha Manch a regional political party backed by former state Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh chief Subhash Velingkar has also fielded its past President Anand Shirodkar as a candidate for the Panaji assembly by-poll.

Shirodkar who filed his nomination papers here earlier on Friday will contest Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar for the Panaji seat in the August 23 polls.

--IANS
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